Well cleaning device



V. F. EHRGOTT WELL CLEANING DEVICE 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. l2, 1935 Nov. 3, 1936.

V. F. EHRGOTT WELL CLEANING DEVICE Filed' Feb. 12, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 3, 1936. V. F. EHRGOT-i' 2,059,566

WELL CLEANING DEVICE Filled Feb, 12, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .El E.

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Patented. Nov. l.'13, 1936 Victor F. liihrgott,

2,059,566' y waar. opname nevica Los Angeles, Calii., assigner to .lo Grant, Los Angeles, Calif. Application February 12, 1935, Serial No. 6,157

19 Claims.

This invention has to do generally with well cleaning devices and is more particularly concerned with such devices wherein there is provided a low-pressure-holding or charge-receiving chamber with a normally closed inlet adapted to be opened at predetermined points in the well whereby the well fluid, under relatively high pressure, charges that chamber with sand or other foreign matter adjacent the inlet, or sets up such pressure actions or high velocity fluid-movements as to dislodge foreign ma tter which may be offering obstruction to free passage of fluid through fissures in the formation well casing,

While the invention is nection with a device having pressure chamber adapte present invention vcontemplates a cleaner having4 each charging and after from the well, it will be un the or perforations in the here described in cona single-charge lowto be emptied after tool has been lifted derstood lthe illustrated inlet valve for said chamber and the valve-control mechanism may\ be applied with advantage to the inlet of any type of low pressure chamber,

irrespective of the manner in which the charged chamber is subsequently emptied or prepared for re-charge, and therefore the showing of the invention as embodied in connection with a particular type of chamber is limitative on such broader aspects of tion.

The in the cleaning of casing use it is particularly well ticularized description is in any way' limitative on device. for other cleaning It is highly important not to be considered as the invendevice will here be described as utilized perforations, to which adapted, but this parnot to be considered as the adaptability of the operations.

that the inlet to the low pressure chamber be kepttightly closed until the cleaner has reached the predetermined zone of operation and yet, in spite of that tight closure and in spite of the usually high uid pressure in that zone, the inlet must be capable of practically instantaneous full-opening, under the control of the operator, after Therefore it is among invention to provide a cleaner desirable features,

theabove reaching that zone.

the general objects of the which shall have as well as others which may be pointed out to better advantage .in connection with follow'.

A It may here be pointed vthe detailed description to out, however, that the an inlet valve which, in effect, is adapted to open downwardly against the pressure of the well-fluid,

withan associatedbalancing arrangement where-4 by the effectivepressure area exposed to that a perforated casing (Cl. 16B-i9) well fluid is reduced to an extent which renders the valve readily opened by the application of relatively moderate forces when the zone of operation is reached. Or, considering the invention in its broaderaspects, the valve may be fully balanced as regards the uid pressure applied thereto with a spring depended upon to hold it closed. In this event the requisite unseating force is only that required to overcome the spring. However, it is preferred that there be effective pressure-area exposed to the well fluid, so, .as the tool is lowered to increased depth in the :duid with the resulting higher pressures tending to increase the danger of leakage at the valve, such higher pressures coincidently become effective to seat the valve tighter and thereby odset the increased leakage tendency.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention I alsopprovide means whereby, in spite of the fact that the inlet closure is below the charge-receiving chamber, the effects of leakage into the low-pressure side of the balancing cylinder are reduced to a minimum and whereby, immediately after the closure is moved from its seat, the low pressure chamber of the balancing cylinder is opened to well pressure and the entire cylinder is exposed to balanced fluid pressure so there is no tendency for the well pressure or any air which might otherwise have been trapped in said low pressure chamber, to reclose the valve.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the consideration of the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a cleaner embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the showing of the valve at the bottom in order better to relate the parts;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a. view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the valve parts in changed position; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the valve parts in still another position.

As has been previously stated, the cleaning device is particularly Well adapted, but not limited, to the dislodgment of foreign matter from the perforations of well casing, and therefore I have illustrated the device as positioned within such or screen A having any suit? of Fig. 2 being here repeated at the top of Fig. 3

\, lief valve generally indicated at I'I.

able 'type of perforations, here conventionally illustrated at B.

Body member- C of the cleaning device is here shown as made up of a plurality of sections coupled end-to-end, though it will be understood that the showing of such sectional characteristics is not to be considered as limitative on the invention.

Threadably connected body or casing sections are indicated at I 0, I I and I2; section I0 (Fig. 2)

serving as a. head or top closure for the charge,

receiving or low-pressure chamber D which is annularly defined by those sections. Attachment section I3 is threadedly connected to section I 0 and serves as means whereby the body member may be attached to a suspension elementcable I4, for instance. Section Il, here shown as 1ongitudinally contracted, may be of any desirable length and may, itself, be sectional. A forty foot length gives chamber D a capacity ample for most operations.

Section I 0 has a reduced axial bore I5 from which extends a transverse passageway I6 controlled by a spring-closed, outwardly-opening re.

The functionv of this valve is merely to relieve high pressure in the charge-receiving chamber as the tool is raised into zones of lower pressure. To facilitate unloading of chamber D, I preferably provide inwardly-opening, spring-closed dump relief valve I8. 'I'his valve isv fully described and claimed in the copending application of W. C. Erwin et al. on Well bailers, filed April 22, 1933, Ser. No. 667,439 wherein the valve showing is substantially plug I9 normally closes passageway 20. When chamber D is to be unloaded, plug I9 is moved and passageway 20 is then adapted to put that chamber into communication with the atmosphere when the negative pressure therein (as created by the .dumping of the fluid) is of a value allowing spring-closed valve I8 to open under atmospheric pressure.

Screwed into the lower end of section I2 is a bushing 2i Whose bore 22 may be consideradas the inlet opening of chamber D, the bushing presenting an upwardly facing seat-I 23 to take a footvalve 24. Bar 25 acts as a stop to limit the upward movement of valve 24. Section I2 is also provided with a removable dump-door 26, the construction and mounting thereof being the same as that illustrated and more fully described in the copending application Ser. No. 667,439, which also contains claims to these features. The door is opened by loosening screws 21 (which normally press the door inwardly to compress gasket A28 and ing lips 30, which latterdene way 3|.

Coupled to section I 2 by bushing 2| is a secbular extension 38 having lateral intake ports 39 which open to intake duct G (made up of the communicating bores of sections 38, 36 and 35, and the vertical passageways 40 through nut 4| which is screwed into the lower en'd of section 32) which duct leads to valve assembly V and,

when the valve is opened, to inlet '22.- A shoe or guiding nose 42 on tube 38 closes the lower end of duct G and is preferably uted at' 43 so well-fluid may pass with minimum interfer ence between the well casing and shoe as the tool is raised or lowered, to obvious advantage.

For controlling or effecting the opening of valve V, I provide a member 44 mounted for movement longitudinally with respect to the body C and engageable with well casing A, plus an operative connection between that member and valt'e V whereby movement of the member with relation to the body sets up or controls movement of the valve. -In this particular case, member-44 is carried on sleeve section 36, and since the. latter is telescopically arranged with respect -to body section 32, it will be seen that the described capacity for relative movement between the body and member arises from the provision of a slipjoint between the body and an element other than member 44, per seI though the invention,

is not essential.

With member 44 in the formr of a packer posi-' tioned above intake operation is isolated from the fluid-column in the well casing above the member so the effect of a sudden charging of chamber D is more or less localized about the intake ports) it will be seen engagement with the well casing. p,

Accordingly, in raising or lowering the cleaner it is desirable to by-pass the fluid around the packer, but since I have here shown duct G serv-- ing both as an intake passage leading to the inlet valve and as apart of the by-passage, vit becomes desirable -that when the duct is used for intake' purposes the' byfpass ports opening to that duct above the packer be closed olf. This preventsr uid from being drawn inwardly through the IJfrom outside the isolated'intake zone, which otherwise would minimize the localizing effect within that-zone when chamber D is suddenly opened to receive a charge.

Therefore, in the preferred embodiment of my. invention, I have shown means operable to close the by-pass ports and have given member 44 the additional function of operating that closure, as will be described. Itis to be noted, however, that the following described particularities of member 44 and the by-passage control are not to be considered as limitative on the broader aspects of the invention. l

Member 44 is here illustrated as a packer of a type well known in the art, consisting of an upwardly opening cup 45 of rubber or other suitable resilient material held against sleeveshoulv der 46 by cup-member 41, the latter being held,

ports 39 (whereby the zone of 'itE acetate in turn, by 'coupling 3l. Cup d5 may be reinforced by spring wire t5. Hereinafter member dt'will be referred to as a packer, but this reference is subject to the reservations noted above.

Valve member 5t is made up of a plug or closure portion 5l having conical face 52 adapted to engage seat 33, and a depending skirt portion 53 which, as will appear, serves as a balancing cylinder. The upper part. of the skirt or cylinder portion is iluted at 55, while pins 55 project from the lower part, the pins extending through longitudinally extending slots 55 and 5l in bodysection 32 and sleeve-section 35 respectively. When plug 5l is seated (Fig. 3) pins 55 are near the top and bottom of slots 55 and 5i, respectively. A protector sleeve 51a is welded or otherwise suitably secured to section 35 to cover slots 51.

Secured to and extending upwardly from nut` tl is a stem 58 carrying a barrier or piston 55 which is entered in the bore of cylinder 53, dividing that bore into what may be termed low-pressure and high-pressure balancing chambers t0 and 6| respectively. Piston 59 is fitted with packing in the form of a downwardly-opening cupring' 62, whereby fluid pressure from below is adapted to force said ring into sealing engagement with the cylinder wall .andthus prevent leakage from high-pressure to low-pressure chambers.

Now the invention broadly contemplates situations wherein the exposed faces of valve parts are effective in varying degrees to take well-pressure in a manner tending to hold the valve closed. Likewise, the arrangement has advantageous features which may be taken advantage of whether or not there be an opening (as shown) through plug 5l. Therefore, the showing and the following description of certain relative dimensional and structural particularities are not to be considered as limitative on the broader aspects of the invention, though their provision is preferred since they give added advantage.v

Compression spring 63 is interposed between nut 4l and a thrust washer 6d on the underside of cylinder 53, side-ports 65 permitting well-huid to enter chamber 5l. Port 55 opens through the top of plug 5| to place chambers D and 50 in communication when the inlet valve is closed, the purpose of this provision being made apparent later, though, as said' above, the invention, considered broadly, is not limited to a ported plug. However, Where the plug is ported at the top, it will be seen that member 5U) may be considered as hollow or tubular throughout its length, with piston 59 adapted to slide through the memberbore,

Depending from nut 4l is stem 6l ,carrying the tubular closure 68, the upper end of which is below by-pass port 69 in sleeve-section 36 when the parts are in the position of Fig. 3 where the cleaner is shown in the condition in which it is lowered to take a charge. Well iiuid may thus by-pass the packer through ports 39, duct G and ports 59. y

As the cleaner is initially lowered, packer M engages the well casing in a manner tending to ret-ard downward movement o sleeve 34, it following that the telescopic joint between body and sleeve is relatively contracted, the weight of the body acting through member 50 and pins 55 against shoulders 10 at the lower ends of sleeveslots 51 to force down sleeve 34 and packer 44.

' Or, due to the resistance to downward movement offered by the packer and sleeve, it may be considered that these. members serve initially to hold the inlet valve closed. In the event the body and sleeve are not initially telescoped as above, or if for any reason they are partially relatively extended before the fluid. is reached, spring 63 serves to hold plug 5l seated on face 433.

Now, to be effective as a closure, plug 5I must be of greater diameter than inlet port 22. If the underface of a plug of that diameter were fully exposed to well-fluid, the opening means would have to pull the valve closure down against iluid pressure directed against an area equal to the cross-sectional area of the plug, and, particularly where the tool is at great depth in the well-fluid, the resistance to valve-opening might thus -be beyond the capacity of available opening forces. By interposing a stationary barrier (piston 59) in the bore of cylinder 53, much of this up-bearing iiuid pressure is taken from the closure or, expressed otherwise, the effective pressure area on the closure is greatly reduced. Infact, by properly proportioning the diameter of the plug and piston, the closure may be completely balanced so the only means holding it closed is spring 53. While such proportioning lies within the scope of my invention,v considered broadly, it is preferable that the iiuid pressure be effective to hold the plug in closing position to a certain degree, at least, so as greater depths are reached the increased tendency for fluid to leak through the valve is oiset by the tighter closing of the valve.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the eiective pressure area (Fig. 3 above member 50) is represented by the cross-sectional area of a ring having an outside diameter a. (the diameter` of plug 5l) and an inside diameter b (the diameter of chamber 50). With the effective pressure area thus reduced, it lies well within the power oi a very simple operating means to pull the closure from its seat.

Chamber 60 being in communication through port 55 with the large-capacity chamber D, the eect of leakage from chamber 5l past piston 55 into chamber 60 becomes a negligible factor. This intercommunication between chambers prevents the trapping of leakage-fluid in chamber '60 which otherwise would offer resistance to or prevent relative contractive movement of the pist-on and cylinder and would upset the substantial balance of the closure.

yWhen the cleaner reaches-the zone of operation, descent of the tool is checked and limited withdrawal movement is imparted thereto by reelingin cable i4. Since packer M resists upward movement, due to its irictional engagement with casing A, body section 32 moves upwardly with relation to sleeve 34, the valve and all its associated elements remaining in the positions shown in Fig. 3 until pins 55 engage shoulders 'Il dening the upper ends of sleeve-slots 5l. During this movement, however, sleeve closure 58 is drawn upwardly by stem 5l to a position blanking by-pass port 59. With pins 55 engaging shoulders Il, and said pins and member 50 thus held against further upward movement, continued upward movement of the body draws seat 33 away from plug 5|, thus opening inlet 22 (Fig. 6).

Well-uid is then free to rush through ports 39, duct G and inlet 22 into low pressure chamber D. the fluid carrying with it foreign matter (which is to be bailed) it being noted that bypass ports 69 remain closed at this time by the blanking effect of the lower extent of sleeve 53. Where the device is used as a perforation cleaner the in-rush sets up such movement in the we fluid surrounding the tool below the packer as to dislodge "slugs of foreign matter in the perforations of the well casing. The slugs (which are sometimes broken up by the iiuid action and sometimes are removed intact) usually, though not necessarily, are carried into chamber D along with the in-rushing iiuid.

Ball-valve 24 rises, of course, during the inrush of the uid and thereaftersettles toseat 23 to act as a foot-valve. Continued elevation of the body member moves the parts to the positions of Fig. 7

wherein it will be noted that sleeve 68 has been raised to a position uncovering by-pass ports 69 so, as the cleaner is subsequently withdrawn,l well-fluid may again by-pass around the packer. During final withdrawal movement of the body member, pins 51 continue to engage shoulders 1i and thus serve, in eilect, to drag sleeve 34 and packer 44 upwardly through the well-casing.

It is to be noted that immediately upon the parting of valve faces 33, 52, chamber is opened to well-pressure, so v'member 50 becomes fully balanced and further opening movement of the valve is accomplished in the most advantageous manner.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood this is to be considered as illustrative of and not limitative on the broader aspects of the invention, for various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit'and scope of the appended claims. For instance, it will be recognized that while, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the valve movement from closed to open position is downward with respect to the overlying low pressure chamber D (whereby it follows that, when valve V is closed,l the upper end oi' closure 50 is exposed to that chamber, and .the lower end of the closure is exposed to well-uid) more fundamentally this valve considered as away from the low-pressure chamber whether that chamber be above or below the valve, and therefore references in certain of the appended claims as to particular directions of movement or to particular vertically defined locations or exposures of elements, are merely for the purpose ofv relating their movements, positions or exposures and are not otherwise to be construed as limitative on those claims.

I.claim:

1. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a movable closure for the inlet, a cylinder carried by the closure, and a piston carried by the body and lentered in the cylinder bore.

2. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a movable closure for the inlet, a cylindercarried by the closure, and a piston stationarily carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore.

3. In awell-cleaning device, a body havinga low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a downwardly opening closure for the inlet, a cylinder carried by the closure, and a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore.

4. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a member movable with respect' to the body member and including a closure for the inlet and a cylinder: and a piston carried by the body and entered in theycylinder bore, the effective cross-sectional area of the closure being greater than the crosssectional ar. of the cylinder bore.

' low-pressure chamber movement may be 5. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a with an inlet, a movable closure for the lmet, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried by the body and' entered n the cylinder bore, and means for moving the cylinder over the piston to draw the closure from the inlet. v

6. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a lowpressure chamber with an inlet, a. downwardly opening lclosure for the inlet, a cylinder carried by the vclosure and a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore at -a point spaced below the top thereof, the lower end of the cylinder being adapted to be exposed to well-iiuid.

7. In a Well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a downwardly opening closure for the inlet, a, cylinder carried4 by the closure and a piston stationarily carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore at a point spaced below the top thereof, the lower end of the cylinder being adapted to be exposed to well-fluid.

8. In a well-'cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a downwardly opening closure for the inlet, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried' by the body and entered in the cylinder bore at a.- point spaced below the top thereof, the lower end of the cylinder being adapted to be exposed to wellfluid, and means for moving the cylinder relatively downwardly over the piston.

9. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a downwardly opening closurefor the inlet, a cylinder carried by the closure and a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore at a point spaced below the top thereof, the lower end of the cylinder being adapted to be exposed to welliluid, there being a passageway through said closure adapted to put into communication the lowpressure chamber andthe cylinder bore above the piston when the closure is in closing position.

10. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet therefor, a downwardly opening closure for the inlet and embodying a tubular member, a piston carried by the body and entered in the member-bore, the bore of the member above the piston normally communicating with the low-pressure chamber and the lower end oi' the tubular member being adapted to be exposed to well-pressure.

11. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet therefor, a downwardly opening closure for the inlet and embodying a tubular member, a piston stationarily carried by the bo'dy and entered in the memberbore, the b'ore of the member above the piston normally communicating with the low-pressure chamber and the lower end of the tubular member being adapted to be exposed to well-pressure.

12.' In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet therefor, a closure for the inlet, a cooperating piston and cylinder below the chamber and associated with the closure for substantially balancing the effect of nuid pressure directed. in effect, against the closure, there being a low-pressure chamber within the 'cylinder at one side of the piston, and there being a passageway putting said low-pressure chambers into communication when the inlet is closed. y

13. In a well-cleaning device, a body having a low-pressure chamberswith an inlet, a member shiftably mounted on the body, a vertically movable closure for the inlet normally held in closing position, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore, and an operative connection between said member and closure whereby a relative shift of the body and member moves said closure vertically from the inlet.

14. In a well-cleaning device having an external packer and embodying a body member having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, there being a by-passage around the packer, a member shiftably` mounted on the body, a movable closure for the inlet normally held in closing position, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore, a bypass-closure on one of the members and normally r outof closing position, and an operative connection. between the shiftable member and inlet closure, all in a manner whereby relative shifting ofthe members sequentially moves the by-pass closure into 'closing' position and moves the inletclosure from the inlet.

15. In a well-cleaning device having an external packer and .embodying a body member having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, there being a by-passage around the packer, a member shiftably mounted on the body, a movable closure for the inlet normallyheld in closing position, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore, a bypass-closure on one oi the members and normally .out of closing position, and an operative connection between the shiitable member and inlet closure, al1 in a manner whereby relative shifting of the members sequentially moves the by-pass closure into closing position, moves the inletclosure from the inlet, and moves the by-pass 'closure from closing position.

16. In a well-cleaning vdevice adapted to be lowered through a well-casing, a body member having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a member shiftably mounted on the body and adapted to engage the casing whereby withdrawal movement of the body relatively moves said member shiftably ber, a vertically movable closure for the inlet normally held in closing position, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore, and an operative connection between said shiftable member and closure whereby relative movement of the members as set up by withdrawal movement .of the body moves said closure vertically irom the inlet. f

17. ,In a well-cleaning device adapted to belowered through a well-casing, a body member having a low-pressure chamber with an inlet, a memmounted on the body and adapted to engage the casing whereby withdrawal movement of the body relatively moves said members, a vertically movable closure for the inlet normally held inclosing position, a cylinder carried by the closure, a piston carried by the body and entered in the cylinder bore, and a pin and slot connection between said shiftable member and closure whereby relative movement ofA the members as set up by withdrawal movement of the body moves said closure vertically from the inlet.

18. A valve for the inlet of a chamber, embodying a piston held in axial alinement with the inlet,

a closure for the inlet, and a cylindercarried by the closure and taking the piston Within its bore, said closure being movable'over the piston towards and away from said inlet, there being a passageway through the closure from the cylinder at one side of the piston and opening to said inlet when the closure is in closing position.

19. A valve for the inlet of a chamber, embodying a piston held in axial alinement with the inlet, a closure for the inlet, and a cylinder carried by the closure and taking the piston within its bore, said closure being movable over the piston towards and away from said inlet, "there being a passageway through the closure from the cylinder at one sideof the piston and opening to said chamber when the closure is in closing position.

` VICTOR F.v EHRGO'IT. 

